


Past Intrusion

by Tarlan



Category: Primeval
Genre: Collection: Fandom Stocking 2014, Fix-It, M/M, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-04 04:44:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2951207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom is left for dead in the prehistoric past but survives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past Intrusion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [celeste9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/gifts).



> Written for Celeste9, for Fandom Stocking 2014

The reassignment to some Home Office think tank in the heart of London was supposed to be a punishment. He was a good soldier and a respected leader of the men under his command but always managed to piss off his C.O. with his unconventional approach to some situations. As Tom stood near the edge of a low bluff watching a herd of dinosaurs grazing on the plain below, he wondered what his old C.O. would be thinking now.

Cutter had left him for dead thousands of years into the past in the same place where they had discovered human remains only months earlier. Except it wasn't months later here but years earlier.

That was the problem with the anomalies - time.

Every time a new one popped up they had no idea of WHEN they would be stepping into, even for an anomaly opening at the same place. Time no longer marched on like a soldier with one boot in front of the next. It danced across the millennia of Earth's history in both past, present and future. That genius kid, Connor, was trying to make sense of it all and if even he was struggling then Tom certainly didn't have a clue. All he knew for certain was that he believed he was dying and if Cutter didn't hightail it back to the anomaly then he'd be stuck in this prehistoric time with Tom's dead body.

Except he hadn't died, and although weakened by the attack, he had managed to survive on the emergency packs left behind. He'd ended up burying Corporal Jansen in his place and leaving the area for safer ground, concerned that the large predator would return.

Weeks passed slowly while he waited for a sign of the anomaly opening, and he wondered if Cutter would be grateful that he'd spent the early days hunting down those future predator cubs-pups-whatever the hell they were. He'd heard of the Butterfly Effect and hoped it was another unproved theory because he'd caught all three future-kids tearing away at a badly mauled dinosaur. Damn thing looked like it had been dead for days though and anyway, Tom had heard other theories that nothing they did actually mattered as it had all happened as it was supposed to happen. Finger of Time or something. He wished he'd paid a little more attention but he'd been more concerned with learning about the creatures coming through the anomalies into the present and causing havoc.

The worst had been the bugs in the Underground.

He lit a fire and sat down with his back to the wall of the small cave, thankful for his survival training. Problem was he was running low on food from the supply packs, having supplemented it with Future-kids. They hadn't tasted so bad spit-roasted. He'd certainly eaten worse.

The night was drawing in and once more he was amazed by the stars overhead - so clear and bright without the smog and street lights to dull their beauty. This was the worst time for him though, caught in the twilight zone between the end of a busy day surviving and the call of sleep. This was the time when his memories, hopes and dreams were at their strongest and he recalled the camaraderie of his men, Cutter's wild theories and Connor's terrible attempts at telling jokes as he tried to gain Abby's attention. It was the time of day when he thought of his personal loss, the warmth of James's body against his as they stole a few illicit hours under the pretense of working through security scenarios. The warm press of those lips curled in a pleasure-sated smile rather than an arrogant sneer.

He wondered if James was missing him, or if they had even met if the time line had changed because of their intrusion into the past.

The thought that another Tom Ryan might never have known the feel of James Lester wrapped in his arms was more terrifying than the eerie growls of strange predators reverberating off the rocks around him. He hugged his knees to his chest, grimacing at the twinge of pain from his still healing injuries and let the memories take him far away from this cave to a time when he knew he was loved.

The following day, as he came over the slight rise he caught sight of the spinning chard layer glinting in the morning sunlight. Ignoring the pain of his injuries, he climbed towards it, pausing at the threshold. He had no idea if this anomaly would take him home or spit him out in some other place or time of hell on Earth but he knew he had to try.

The man he loved was thousands of years into the future and if there was a god, James would be waiting for him on the other side.

END  
.


End file.
